The government of El Salvador has introduced a new $1,000 fee for passengers from African countries flying into its capital’s international airport. This measure is part of the efforts by countries in the Western Hemisphere to curb the record flow of migration across the region. The tariff, which is said to be for “airport improvements,” will apply to passengers in transit. The increase in passenger traffic at San Salvador’s airport this year compared to previous years prompted the implementation of this fee.
The government of President Nayib Bukele is focused on modernizing and expanding projects at the El Salvador International Airport to provide high-quality service to all users and passengers. However, experts speculate that the new tariffs could be an attempt to deter migrants who are seeking to reach the US-Mexico border from passing through El Salvador. The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration has observed an increase in African migrants flying directly into Central America to avoid the dangerous Darién Gap, which over 400,000 migrants have crossed this year as they begin their journey north.
Ariel Ruiz Soto, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, suggests that the new fees could act as an additional barrier for migrants from countries on the list. These individuals often need visas and expensive tickets to travel to El Salvador, so the fees will likely discourage them from using the country as a pathway to the United States.
The list of nations subject to the $1,000 fee includes over 50 countries in continental Africa, as well as offshore island nations like the Seychelles and São Tomé and Príncipe. Indian nationals are also included. Airlines will be required to provide the government with a daily list of passengers from these countries, along with their flight information. The airlines will then be charged the fee plus tax for each passenger they fly in from these countries.
The Colombian multinational airline Avianca has stated on its website that passengers must pay the fee before boarding their flights. However, the airline warns that the Salvadorean authorities ultimately have control over who is allowed to enter and exit the country.
The International Organization for Migration reported a 65% decrease in the number of African migrants passing through the Darién Gap between January and July, with approximately 4,100 individuals. However, Honduras has experienced a 553% increase in migrants crossing its southern border with Nicaragua, totaling 19,412 people.
The announcement of this measure coincided with a visit from Brian Nichols, the US State Department assistant secretary for Western Affairs, to El Salvador. Nichols met with President Bukele and discussed mutual efforts to address irregular migration. The United States has expressed concerns about the migration flow through the country.
El Salvador’s Vice President, Felix Ulloa, highlighted the country’s success in reducing irregular migration by tackling gang violence. He stated that the majority of migration stems from rural areas.
Nicaragua has allowed thousands of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, and several African countries to fly directly into its international airport when their final destination is the US border. Some view this as a weaponization of foreign policy. Nicaragua implemented visa-free travel for Cubans in 2021, citing family connections and the promotion of tourism and commerce between the two countries.
In contrast, governments in the Western Hemisphere seem to be tightening visa requirements and imposing new travel restrictions to address the increasing flow of migrants through Central America. Haitians have been utilizing Nicaragua’s main airport to reach the US-Mexico border, bypassing the dangerous Darién Gap. They are the third leading nationality among the record-breaking 408,972 migrants who have crossed the jungle this year.
Haiti’s government recently suspended all flights to Nicaragua, leaving frustrated passengers who had already paid thousands of dollars for their tickets. Additionally, Mexico now requires migrants who require visas to enter the country to obtain visitor visas for transit through its international airports, regardless of the duration of their stay.
